BUSINESS

STEM skills essential for the future: Hewson

May 11, 2018
Marillyn A. Hewson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin.
Marillyn A. Hewson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin.

Marillyn A. Hewson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin, participated in the Emirates Youth Council’s Youth Circles, an initiative launched by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the UAE, and ruler of Dubai, to inspire youth-centric dialogue across a variety of areas for engagement with young people to shape innovative solutions for global challenges. Following the Youth Circle discussion on the opportunities and challenges faced by young professionals in the aerospace industry, Hewson shared insights on careers in the aerospace industry and why science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills are essential for the future. Here are the excerpts:

SG: What’s your advice on how to keep up with the rapid technological developments and stay relevant?

MAH: At Lockheed Martin, we believe that innovation is our lifeblood —and that it is imperative we innovate with speed and agility. That sense of urgency drives us. We know that if we fail to stay on the cutting edge of technology, it doesn’t just affect our business, it can carry costs and consequences for our customers. One of the ways we are keeping up is by setting clear priorities and then bringing together the right teams to pursue those priorities. For example, we’ve identified several technologies that we believe have the potential to be transformative, including hypersonic propulsion, artificial intelligence, autonomy, and laser weapons systems.

We’re also working to understand and implement the digital transformation that is sweeping through the global economy. Innovations in areas such as 3-D printing, machine learning, virtual and augmented reality, and engineered materials are fundamentally changing the way products are designed, built, tested, manufactured, and maintained. These evolutionary changes are opening up the aerospace and defense industry, allowing more people, companies, and nations like the UAE to compete on a global scale. We are all in a race to see who can embrace and leverage digital technologies the fastest. So, the key to the future for 21st century workers will be to continually expand your knowledge, skills, and abilities by participating in training, professional development conferences, and other learning opportunities.

SG: What more can industry and academia do to prepare today’s workforce and students for the future?

MAH: At Lockheed Martin, we think the first step is to get government, industry, and social institutions to support tomorrow’s scientists and engineers. We have to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the early grades. Then, we need to ensure university students and interns are taking on exciting and meaningful projects. And as workers mature, we need to have training programs that ensure they continue to have the relevant skills to compete. We all have a role to play in creating and maintaining that talent pipeline.

At Lockheed Martin, we’re continually working with our partners around the globe to lead a variety of programs that encourage students — from the earliest grades through university — to get excited about STEM and ultimately to pursue a STEM career. In 2017, Lockheed Martin provided almost $12 million in grants to organizations that promote STEM opportunities for young people. Our employees supplemented our monetary contributions by volunteering more than 115,000 hours to support STEM education activities.

SG: What are some of the skills experts see as critical 20 years into the future?

MAH: It’s difficult to predict the types of jobs a company like Lockheed Martin will offer 20 years from now because technology is evolving so rapidly. We’ve seen throughout history that as new technologies are developed, the skills needed to design, test, build and sustain those technologies evolve as well. The best strategy for maintaining a competitive skill set is to focus on the fundamental traits that employers always need. If you demonstrate a desire to learn new skills and embrace emerging technologies, show your ability to adapt to the changing needs of your customers and your employer, and build your leadership experience, you will be well-positioned to enjoy a rewarding career.

Of course, we do see trends in technology that are strong indicators of the types of jobs that are increasingly in demand now and will likely grow over the next few decades. We’re seeing an increased reliance on data science and human-machine collaboration across nearly every sector. Therefore, we anticipate increased demand for autonomy engineers, data scientists, radio frequency engineers, quantum information scientists, and cybersecurity specialists.

Companies will be seeking employees with the skills that will allow them to maximize the benefits of the digital transformation by, for instance, harnessing the power of big data to create greater efficiencies and improve quality in products and processes. The bottom line is that we see enormous potential for young professionals to have a challenging and rewarding career in all STEM fields, especially the aerospace and defense industry.

SG: If you were starting your career now what areas would you focus your energies on?

MAH: If I were starting my career over, I would still pursue a position at Lockheed Martin, where I’m passionate about the important work we do for our customers around the world. I’d also make it a priority to look for opportunities to push myself outside of my comfort zone. Throughout my career, I’ve sought opportunities that press me to learn something new and expand my knowledge and experience. I believe that’s part of what has contributed to my success, so if I were starting over again today, I would again look for the opportunities to learn from others and focus on doing my best work every day in support of our customers. — SG


May 11, 2018
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